Statement by the Council of Global Unions LGBTI Committee to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance
November 20 is the International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) when we mourn our lost siblings and call for justice. It is also an opportunity to remember that an injury to one is an injury to all; trade unions have a duty to defend trans workers.
The rise of the far right in many countries has had a catastrophic effect on the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community. Make no mistake, they will not stop at attacking the LGBTI community. Migrant workers are already in the firing line, and other marginalised groups will follow.
Figures just released by the Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) project for TDoR reveal that:
- 281 trans and gender diverse people were reported murdered between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025.
- Sex workers (34%) remain the most targeted group of all known occupations.
- There was a notable rise in murders of activists and trans-rights leaders, who are the second most targeted group by occupation this year, accounting for 14% of cases (up from 9% in 2024 and 6% in 2023).
- 68% of murders occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean; Brazil leads the list for the 18th consecutive year with 30% of total cases.
- Echoing the pattern of previous years, 90% of reported murders were feminicides (victims were trans women or transfeminine people).
The update from TTM notes that while the number of 281 trans and gender diverse people murdered has declined since the 2024 update (350), this decline does not necessarily signal increased safety. More likely it reflects growing invisibility of these murders in media reporting - a trend that may be shaped by changes in search engine and social media algorithms or widespread media disinterest, which can make murders harder to identify and verify.
Solidarity is needed now more than ever - trade unions must continue to advocate for safe, inclusive workplaces for all workers.
Concerns about the attacks on the trans community should not be limited to LGBTI spaces. These attacks impact everyone and represent the initial front in broader assaults on civil liberties and workers’ rights. It is the responsibility of the trade union movement across the world to ensure that it is understood that transphobic rhetoric is a way of attacking other protections and rights. Deeming certain groups undeserving of fundamental rights sets dangerous precedents which can be weaponised in other areas, such as collective bargaining, freedom of association, and workplace health and safety.
“History has taught us that we cannot remain silent. We call on everyone in society to take action in whatever capacity they can, to protect the lives of transgender and gender diverse people, to demand a better world where all lives are valued and respected," said Michele Kessler, Chair of the Council of Global Unions' LGBTI Committee.
Trans rights are LGBTI rights, LGBTI rights are trade union rights, trade union rights are human rights.
Photo credit: Vuk Valcic / SOPA Images/Sipa US via Reuters Connect
